SWT SIFE team advances to nationals

SAN MARCOS —The Southwest Texas State University Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE) team is bound for nationals after taking first place at the 2003 SIFE Regional Competition and Career Opportunity Fair in Dallas April 10.

The SWT SIFE team, along with champions from 21 other regional competitions will present their projects at the 2003 SIFE USA National Exposition, hosted by the Kansas City Business Community, May 11-13 in Missouri. The national champion in the 4-year division will travel to Frankfurt, Germany, to compete at the SIFE World Cup 2003, October 12-14.

The SWT SIFE team competed against other regional schools, matching educational outreach projects. Teams were judged on the effectiveness of their projects during a 24-minute presentation and were evaluated on creativity and innovation, results of education programs, success in utilizing resources and documentation of activities.

The SWT SIFE team was also named finalist in three special competitions: the Polsky Investment Challenge; Financial Responsibility Month; and National Business Ethics Month. The special competitions measure the effectiveness of specific projects in a set time period and are sponsored by America’s leading corporations.

SIFE encourages students to take what they are learning in the classroom and apply it to real-life situations, using their knowledge to better their communities through educational outreach projects. The projects presented by the SWT SIFE team included projects on the importance of business ethics and giving back to the community through time, talents and financial resources.

SWT SIFE students also met with dozens of corporate representatives from the Dallas business community to discuss job opportunities.

“These young people are truly phenomenal, not only in their skill levels, but also in their belief in the free enterprise principles and their dedication to very hard work in achieving their goals,” said team advisor Vicki L. West of the SWT Department of Marketing.

Founded in 1975 and active on more than 1,400 college and university campuses in 33 countries, SIFE is a non-profit organization that works in partnership with business and higher education to provide students the opportunity to make a difference and to develop leadership, teamwork and communication skills through learning, practicing and teaching the principles of free enterprise.